The battle of Ligny. The battlefield. 1 The battlefield of Ligny is situated between the village of Fleurus and the paved road leading from Nivelles to Namur. A stream called the Ligne ran through this area in a west-east direction. Arising in a small lake, called Etang de Wagnée, at one and a half kilometre southwest of Les Trois Burettes, at the Roman road (2), it ran in south-east direction along the villages of Wagnelée and Saint Amand (to the right), to turn suddenly in a northeast direction just east of this last village. 3 It then ran right through the heart of the village of Ligny and bent between Ligny and Sombreffe to the right, in an eastern direction. At the point where the stream ran under the road leading from Fleurus to Gembloux, a stone bridge was constructed. The width of the Ligne varied depending on the field; in general in its western direction the Ligne ran through a relatively flat area and was rather small, but getting further east (particularly east of Ligny) it became more important, being fed by smaller streams and by running through more narrow areas. At some places it could be just one metre (or less) to a maximum of five metres (4) wide; its banks were generally steep and overgrown with willows, alders and bushes (5); its depth was very variable as well. 6 In its turn, several tiny stream ran into the Ligne at several places. At Saint Amand la Haye a stream coming from Brye fell into the Ligne. And east of Saint Amand two tiny streams, coming from Wangenies and Lambusart fell in. 7 Near Sombreffe (east and west of it) two minor streams rolled into the Ligne. The first one came from behind Sombreffe and the second one from Humrée. 8 Very close to the point where the second one fell into the Ligne, was the Cense de Pottriaux, of which the watermill formed the main building. 9 At the line Wagnelée, Saint Amand-la-Haye, Saint Amand and Ligny, the Ligne formed a barrier along the heights which formed the “plateau” around the village of Brye. In height these heights were here and there slightly higher as those around Fleurus, but the difference was very small. Further east, at the east side of the paved road which connects Fleurus to the Namur-road, the stream became extremely winding , passing in more steep low ground along villages like Tongrinelle (to the right), Tongrinnes (to the left), Boignée (to the right), Balâtre (to the right) and Saint Martin (to the right). Just about one kilometre south of Mazy, the Ligne fell into the Orneau. In the north-east corner of the junction of the road coming from Fleurus and the one running from Nivelles to Namur stood the inn called Le Point du Jour. Part of the building is still in existence. Opposite the inn were in 1815 two houses, one of which, called Hermitage, still can be found. 10 On the northern side of the road Nivelles – Namur, the road from Fleurus continued to Gembloux as a mere track. 11 In 1815, there was a windmill immediately west of this road (north of the Namur-road). 12 On its western side the battlefield was bounded by the Roman road, the Chaussée Brunehaut, which ran in an almost straight line from Tongres to Maastricht. This road was a sandy road (13) and was for some part lined by trees. 14 The distance between Fleurus and this road (near Villers Peruin) is six kilometres. At the crossroads of the old Roman road and the road of Nivelles to Namur (in the southwest corner) was the inn called Les Trois Burettes. The distance between 1 this inn and the one of Point du Jour is five and a half kilometres. The village of Saint Martin is found at the extreme east-side of the battlefield, at two kilometres south-west of Mazy. The distance between Saint Martin and the Roman road is nine kilometres. Saint Amand in particular seemed to be a small wood by the presence of numerous trees. From a distance, only the church-tower and some houses towards Ligny could distinctly be seen. 15 The church of Wagnelée (16) is post 1815; the old church was located 125 further north. Few old farms survived, one of which is called de Colombier. 17 Saint Amand and Wagnelée (on a distance of two kilometres) were connected with each other by two hamlets,. The first one was Saint Amand le Hameau, also called Beurre. 18 This hamlet was formed by a few outbuildings, one of which was the inn of Le Major. 19 This inn has since long been demolished, but the point where it stood (where the Ligne is flowing right under the road) is still called Pont du Major. The second hamlet was Saint Amand la Haye, also called Longpré. 20 Here, in 1815 the domains of La Haye could be found, as well as those of l’Escaille. Apart from a few farms, one of the main buildings here is the Chateau de la Haye , at the extreme eastern side of the hamlet. 21 In 1815 the chateau was flanked by a few towers, but in the course of time they fell down, and the last one was taken away in 1879. In 1815, it was surrounded by a few swampy fields and a small grave-yard which dated from 1794, after the battle of Fleurus. 22 The old Chateau de l'Escaille, at the north side of the village, has been replaced by a newer one but the old farm is still there. The actual Saint Amand was situated 500 metres further to the east, along a central road. Its houses were separated from each other by orchards and gardens. Nowadays two farms can be fond which were there in 1815, one just behind the church. This church now in existence is the authentic one of 1815 and it is situated at the far east side of the village. In 1815 the church was surrounded by the churchyard, now gone. In 1815, between Fleurus and Saint Amand, a small chapel called " Bon Dieu de Pitié " could be found. Nowadays, the old chapel has gone but at the same spot some houses can be found, of which one contains a tiny chapel in its facade. 2 Bon dieu de Pitié (on the left). Ligny village had in 1815 about 900 inhabitants, most of whom were stone-cutters and agricultural labourers. It was cut in two by the Ligne-stream. Parallel there were two streets, at both banks of the stream. Between, and on the other sides of these streets the ground was undulating and here were in total about 175 houses; these were strongly built of blue stones and had thatched roofs. Between these houses there were walled gardens, orchards etc. 23 In the centre of the village was the old church (1753), and which was surrounded by the churchyard. 24 Near the church was a place planted with trees. 25 North of the church was the farm of d'en Bas and south of it the one of d'en Haut. Both farms, which are no longer in use as such, are partly destroyed. 26 The only stone bridge over the Ligne could be found at the extreme north-east side of the village; all other bridges were constructed of wood. 27 At 700 metres southwest of the church was the chateau of De la Tour. In 1815 it belonged to the countess De Lannoy-Clervaux, born princess De Looz-Corswarem. The chateau itself was a massive construction, complete with moat and bridge. The chateau was centred around a courtyard, with large towers at each corner. In 1815 the chateau was partly ruined. A century before an avenue was constructed which led to a courtyard which was transformed to one for a solid built farm in front of the chateau. The avenue was flanked by large orchards and at the entrance of the complex a small building was situated. 28 The whole complex has been rased and nowadays nothing remains. 29 At 1600 metres noth-west of Le Bon Dieu de Pitié and one kilometre southwest of the chateau of Ligny was the Tombe de Ligny, a Gallo-Roman tumulus, which can still be seen in the fields as a low elevation. 3 A Roman tumulus at Roulers, comparable as it must have been in 1815 at Ligny (above), and today (below, in the left of the picture). In 1815 there was a straight road running from Ligny towards Saint Amand. This road ran along the Arbre de Brochechat (to the left) arriving at Saint Amand along a small chapel. The Arbre de Brochechat has gone, but at the spot of the old chapel nowadays the Chapelle Notre Dame de Bon Secours can be found. At 800 metres north-west of the extreme eastern edge of Ligny was in 1815 the Chapelle le Battij St.Croix. In the near surroundings also the inn of Sart Malet could be found. Nowadays only the name of Sart Malet remains. 30 The Bois du Loup, a small wood of about two hectares, was situated at about 700 metres east. 31 Behind Wagnelée, Saint Amand and Ligny was the "plateau" of Brye, consisting of several heights. The old centre of Brye is formed by the old church and the huge farm behind it. 32 4 500 metres away from this point was at the north-west-side of the village, to the right of the road, a chapel called the Chapelle St.Joseph.